Hello Sammy,

Thank you for your message. So what do you call spit up in your part of the world?! Just curious!

While spit up is common in infancy, it often decreases as a baby nears one year of age. Sometimes spit up continues past a year. If the baby grows and doesn't have any other health concerns from the spit up, it is often considered Gastroesophageal Reflux or GER. GER is common and doesn't require any medical treatment.

Your little guy is having persistent spit up and a cough. This is a more worrisome combination and needs to be investigated. Sometimes GER can trigger a cough and in this case the condition may be called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. Only a doctor can diagnose GER or GERD. There may be other reasons for the symptoms too so the doctor is really the first stop.

I think it is a good idea to document the extent of the problem before going to the doctor or calling the doctor. It really helps the doctor if you say, My baby spit up __ times per day and wakes up __ times at night in pain. The doctor may not understand the extent of the problem if you say, My baby spits up a lot and never sleeps all night.

Some babies have digestive issues and respiratory symptoms due to food allergies and intolerances so it might help to document his diet and share this information with the doctor. Rashes, gas and constipation may be other signs of food related issues.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

Best wishes,

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom